Means for fastening articles to display cards



Nov. 2, 1954 w. c. MoNAHAN 2,693,014 MEANS FOR FASTENING ARTICLES TO DISPLAY CARDS I g Filed Aug. 22', 1950 United States Patent Odtice 2,693,014 Patented Nov. 2, 1954 MEANS FOR FASTENING vARTICLES TO DISPLAY CARDS Application August 22, .1950, Serial N o. 180,732

.5 Claims. (Cl. 24-221) This invention relates to fastening devices and particularly to means for fastening articles to display cards and the like, and an object is to provide a simple, inexpensive and improved fastening device for this purpose.

It is customary, for example, in money-raising campaigns to place collection containers on store counters and similar places and to secure thereto display cards explaining the purpose of the campaign yand requesting :that contributions be deposited in the attached con- 'ta-incr.

An object of this linvention is to provide an improved fastening means for securing such containers and display cards together constructed and arranged lto be easily and `quickly secured or released.

Such containers as here involved are now frequently molded from a suitable plastic and a further object is to provide an improved fastening device for j-the purpose set forth which can be easily lformed from plastic material, if desired.

A further object is to provide a fastening means `for securing articles to display cards, having a minimum number of easily and cheaply made parts.

With the foregoing and other obiccts in view, I have devised the Iconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this speciiication. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specic details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an assembled Acontainer and part lof a display card secured `together by a fastening device constructed in 'accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a portion of the container being broken away to show the fastening device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in vertical section through the fastening device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a part of the display card shown in Fig. l;

Fig. l4 is an elevation .on an enlarged scaleof the fastening device lfor securing 'the display card to the container;

Fig. 5 is a :side elevation thereof;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a portion of the inner face of the container .shown in Figs. l and 2 showing .the locking `surfaces on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. l :showing another modification :of the invention, 'including a different type of container :and a different arrangement of locking surfaces, 4a portion yof the container being broken away to show the fastening device;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation partly in `vertical section through the fastening device shown .in Fig. ,7, and

Fig. 9 isa View on an enlarged scale of a portion of the inner face of the container shown .in Fig. 7, ill-ustratingthe locking surfaces of this embodiment.

Although the vinvention `is shown in the drawing and is hereafter described in connection with securing a coincollecting container to a display card, it will be apparent that it is not limited to such use, but can be employed to secure a wide variety of articles to cards of various t es.

yIAs shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, a container 11 which is illustrated as of heart shape, but may be of any form and type desired, includes a front section 12 having a coin-receiving slot 13 in the wall thereof, and a back section V14 having a 4circular opening 15 in the wall 16 thereof. This container may bernolded of a suitable 21, pictorial or otherwise,

plastic of `any desired -color and may be transparent or opaque, as desired. As Vshown in Pig. 6, circumferentially spaced, radial notches 1'7 are formed in the edge 11i-of the opening 15 `for a purpose to be described. A display cand `19 which may vhave any suitable legend printed thereon, has a circular opening v22 (Fig. 3') of substantially the same .size as the opening 15 `in the container l1, and formed with corresponding .circumferentially spaced, radial notches 23 in the edge '24 of the opening.

A fastening member 25 ,having a circular body portion 25a has a card-engaging radial ange 26 formed at one side ofthe body portion 25a of greater diameter than the openings 15., 22, and spaced from the portion 25a. ,A plurality of crcnmfenentially spaced radial .lugs 27 corresponding in .spacing to .that of the notches 17, 23 .in the container 11 and card 19 ,respectively, project outwardly from the circular body portion 25a in axially spaced relation to the liange 26.. The diameter of the body portion 2'5.'a is such as to pass easily through the openings 15., 22 and the lugs 27 through the notches .17., 'The space 'between the flange 26 and the lugs 27 is just sufficient-to receive the juxtaposed .edges 1.8, 24 yof .the openings 15, 22 in the container l1 .and card 1'9 respectively. That is, this space .is equal ,to the combined thickness of the rear wall of .the .container and the card. Preferably, iinger gripping means for rotating .the body portion 25a, such as the 4cross bar 28 ,shown in Fig. 4, 'is provided in a recess 3.0 Lon 4the body portion 25a. To facilitate molding of the fastening member the lugs 27 are back of and .in .alignment with .similarly .shaped openings or notches .27a in .the iiange 26. Means is -also provided for holding the container or other article 1l and the card 19 .against relative .rotational or lateral displacement and .facilitates positioning it with .the vopenings 15 and `22. in alignment. .As illustrated, .this includes spaced .studs 29,. preferably formed on .the back 14 of the container 1.1 adapted .to be located .in similarly spaced holes 31 .in the card 19, when the card `and container are assembled, and .to hold them with their respective openings 15., 22 and notches 17, 23 in registry. These studs may be molded integrally iin one piece with the rear wall of the container 111, especially when this container is m-ade of molded p astic.

When .the card and .container are assembled with .the studs 29 'in the openings 3.1 and .the openings. 15, 22y in alignment and 4the notches 17, .23 'in registry, they can be easily and quick-ly secured together merely by 'inserting the body portion 2511 of the fastener 25 through .the aligned openings, passing the lugs Z7 through the aligned notches `1'7 and .23 .until the radial flange '26 on .the `circular body portion 25a :engages .the :outer face ofthe card .19' and ,presses it against .the l.back 14 of the container 11. In this position of .the parts, the lugs 27 are in position .to engage `the inner faceof the back wall 16 of the when rotated relatively thereto. Such rotation can .be obtained by Jmeans of 4the .cross bar .2S `or other iinger grip, and the parts will then v.be securely held in assembled position. in order .to properly position .the lugs in engagement with ythe inner face of the .back wall 16, a .stop such .as :an ear 32 is formed on the inner face a determinate distance from one sidesof a. notch 1.7, see Fig. t6, to ybe Iengaged y.by one of the lugs 27 ,to limit the rotation of the body portion 25a when securing the card and container together.. A- ysimilar stop ear 33 is located on the opposite :side of one of the notches 17 .adjacent the edge thereof so that upon retornar-eration of the body portion 25a when it is desired to fdisassemble Athe card and container the associated Ilug yengage the -stop (ear 33 when the :lu-gs 27 `are lined up with the notches 17, .23'inposition to allow the fastening device 25 to be withdrawn.

inthe form illustrated in Figs. l to 3, the container 11 is supported lupon .the display card 19. For this purpose, the -card has an easel type .back 34, the lower edge 35 y-of which engages the supporting :counter .surface or the like not shown) and supports :the assembly in tbackwardly inclined position with the container slightly above the counter, rather than in lthe upright position which has been shown in the drawing to conservespace.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 to 9, a container 41 having a broad base 42 is adapted to support the display card 43. In this embodiment, for example, the container 41 carries the Red Cross Tuberculosis Fund insignia 44 and the card has printed thereon the Red Cross angel 45. A coin-receiving slot 46 is provided in the front wall 47 of the container 41 and a circular opening 48 having circumferentially spaced radial notches 49 is formed in the back 51. The display card 43 has the same opening 22 with notches 23 as the card 19. Studs 52 on the rear wall 51 of the container engage in holes 54 in the card 43 to properly hold the card and container against lateral displacement when assembled and hold the openings in juxtaposed alignment.

Adjacent each notch 49 the inner face of the rear wall 51 is formed with recesses 55 to accommodate the lugs 27 on the rotatable fastener 25, to limit the rotation thereof when securing the parts together. One edge 56 of each recess is spaced from the adjacent side of the notch 49 for this purpose, while the opposite edge 57 of each recess 55 is in alignment with the opposite edge of the notch to act as a stop to limit rotation of the fastener and position the lugs 27 in line with the notches 23, 49 for removal when releasing the parts.

The operation of both illustrated forms is substantially the same. When the cards and containers are assembled with the studs 29 or .51 in the card holes 31 or 54, the circular openings or 48 in the containers and the openings 22 in the associated card will be juxtaposed, with the notches 17 and 23 or 49 in alignment. Referring, for example, to Figs. l to 6, the circular body portion a of the fastener is then inserted through the openings 15, 22, the lugs 27 passing through the aligned notches 17l and 23 until the flange 26 engages the display card 19 and presses it against the back wall 16 of the container 11. This positions the lugs 27 adjacent the inner face of the back wall 16 so that rotating the body portion 25a causes the lugs to move away from the notches to engage such inner face and secure the parts together. The stop ear 32 limits the rotation to a determinate amount and prevents moving the lugs 27 far enough to come opposite the next pair of aligned notches and thus lose their holding engagement with the container wall. When it is desired to separate the card and container, the body portion 25a is rotated in the opposite direction until a lug 27 engages the other stop ear 33, when the lugs 27 will be positioned in line with the notches and the body portion 25a can be withdrawn to release the card 19 and container 11.

When disassembled the opening 15 in the back 14 of the container 11, and the opening 48 in the back 51 of the container 41, can be used, if desired, to remove money deposited in the container. However, the front and back sectors 13, 14 of the container 11 are separable, having telescoping edges which are frictionally held together, while the back 51 of the container 41 is frictionally held in the opening 59 at the back of the container 41, a shoulder 61 engaging the edge of the back 51 to position it in the opening 59 The invention provides an inexpensive, simple fastening device for containers or other articles on display cards or the like which can be easily made of a suitable plastic material when desired. Only one movable part, themember 25, is employed, and a single twist thereof is sufficient to fasten or unfasten the device.

1Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I c aim:

l. ln a device of the character described, a supporting member provided with an opening, a supported member having a wall at one side of the support provided with an opening in alignment with the first opening provided with spaced notches in the edge thereof, a fastener member comprising a cupped member the side walls of which form a circular body portion passing through said aligned openings and free to turn therein in either direction, a continuous circular circumferential ange extending radially outward from the outer rim of said body portion of larger diameter than the opening in the support so as to be unable to pass through this opening and positioned on the opposite vside of the support from the supported member, a plurality of radially outwardly extending lugs on the body portion spaced backwardly from the ange and located on the opposite side of the wall of the supported member from the support so that the said wall and support are secured together side by side between the ange and the lugs, said lugs being spaced about the periphery of the body portion to correspond with the spacing of the notches in the supported member so as to pass through these notches, and a transversebar in the cupped member extending between the side Walls thereof forming a finger grip for turning the fastening member in the aligned openings to shift the lugs from and to alignment with said notches to secure the other members together and release them.

2. In a device of the character described, a pair of sheet wall members arranged side by side, and provided with aligned openings having a plurality of peripherally spaced aligned radial notches in their edges, a fastener member including a cupped member the side walls of which form a circular body portion of substantially the same diameter extending through said openings and free to turn therein, a continuous circumferential circular ange extending radially outwardly on the outer rim of said body portion on the outer side of one of the wall members and of larger diameter than the opening therein so as to be unable to pass through this opening, a plurality of radial lugs extending outwardly from the body member and spaced backwardly from the ange so as to be located on the outer side of the other wall member so that said members are side by side between the flange and lugs and held together thereby, said lugs being peripherally spaced about the body member to correspond with the spacing of the notches in the edges of the openings so as to pass through them, and a transverse bar in the cupped member extending between the side walls thereof forming a finger grip on the fastener member to turn this member in the openings to shift the lugs from and to alignment with the notches to shift them to and from holding position.

3. The construction as defined in claim 2 in which the second wall member is provided with stop means cooperating with one of the lugs to limit rotation of the fastener member and so located as to position said lugs in holding position.

4. The construction as defined in claim 2 in which the second wall member is provided with stop means cooperating with one of the lugs to limit rotation of the fastener member in one direction and so located as to position said lugs in holding position, and said second wall member also provided with a second stop means cooperating with one of the lugs to limit rotation of the fastener member in the opposite direction and so located as to position the lugs in alignment with the notches to release the members.

5. In a device of the character described a plane sheet member provided with an opening therethrough and having peripherally spaced radial notches in the edges of this opening, a securing member including a cupped member having cylindrical side walls forming a circular body portion to be located in the opening and free to turn therein in opposite directions, said cupped body portion being provided with a continuous circular peripheral ange extending radially outward on its outer rim and a series of outwardly extending radial lugs Vspaced backwardly from the ange, said lugs being peripherally spaced about the body portion to correspond with the spacing of the notches in the sheet member so as to pass through them, and the ange and lugs being spaced to correspond with the thickness of said sheet member and a similar member located side by side therewith provided with an opening for the body portion of smaller diameter than the flange to prevent this flange from passing through the opening to thus secure the two members together between the ange and lugs, and a transverse bar in the cupped :member extending between the side walls thereof forming means on the securing member to turn it in the opening to shift the lugs to and from alignment with the notches to release and secure said members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 99,508 Williams Feb. l, 1870 1,148,444 Crawford July 27, 1915 1,412,970 Saliisberg Apr. 18, 1922 (Other references on following page) 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Number Name Date 2,164,382 Burke July 4, 1939 2,260,048 Newell Oct. 21, 1941 1,779,182 McEwen Oct. 21, 1930 2,595,095 OCOnnor Apr. 29, 1952 1,863,148 Z611 June 14, 1932 5 2620 539 pou itch D@c 9 1952 2,043,898 Binder June 9, 1936 p 

